CCSD’s Every Day Matters campaign started shortly after the school year began and progress is already being made in improving student attendance.
?? Why it matters: Chronic absenteeism negatively impacts academic success and increases the likelihood of dropping out of school.
By the numbers: Through the first quarter of the school year, the District has reported a 5.2 percentage point decrease in chronic absenteeism compared to the same time last year.
- Ed Von Tobel Middle School, for example, is taking a proactive approach that includes the entire school community.
A pilot mentorship program at Von Tobel Middle School, led by four attendance officers, engages with chronically absent students and addresses the root causes of their absences.
- Other CCSD schools are also exploring strategies to emphasize the importance of daily attendance.
???? As part of the mentorship aspect of the program, the Von Tobel Middle School staff are working with families to find the reason for absences, rather than focusing on consequences.
- “We tried a different approach and more of a social work standpoint by creating those relationships and making those students feel like they’re wanted on campus, that somebody is checking on them,” says CCSD Attendance Enforcement Coordinator Mollie Fulwider.
What they’re saying: “Having kids on our campus on an everyday basis really provides them with that foundation to become successful in the future,” Von Tobel Middle School Principal Leonardo Amador says.
What’s next: CCSD hopes to expand the mentorship program to other schools as part of its Every Day Matters campaign.
